Page 17 of Allie's Shelter
Finally Cochran waved the hesitant deputy out of the office, waiting until the door was closed again. “Can you explain any of this, Allie?”
“He’s dead? You’re sure?” Her voice was nearly inaudible.
“He’s on a coroner’s table as we speak. They say there’s an eye witness who puts you near his house a few hours before his body was found.”
“An eye witness who saw me?”
The sheriff nodded.
“But, I couldn’t do anything like that,” she mumbled, obviously in shock. “I haven’t been near Bradley’s house in months. How could they have seen me?”
“What day?” Ross interrupted.
Allie jumped at the question and Cochran looked up at him as if he’d sprouted two heads. Ross repeated the question, but the sheriff still didn’t answer. Apparently he’d worn out his welcome in Haleswood yet again.
His team had been watching Allie for almost a full week already, following her from Virginia all the way back to Haleswood. They might have the real murderer in any one of a dozen surveillance photos. If nothing else, he could provide a solid alibi to the sheriff or anyone else who asked. He didn’t want to go there, knowing how it would upset her, but he would. She’d hate him for lying to her, but she’d be safe.
Sheriff Cochran asked a few questions and Ross watched intently for signs that the sheriff doubted her story. So far, he was buying Allie’s version the whole way. Thank God.
He listened to Allie’s explanation, ticking off the events in his own mind. Yes, she’d still been in Virginia, even on that side of Alexandria, near Roberts’s home address that day. Yes, she’d left town, headed for Haleswood, that evening.
Rick had been on her during those hours and Ross remembered the log showed a stop at Wal-Mart. Probably for that disposable phone she was using.
“Can anyone verify your whereabouts?”
Allie twisted her fingers around the black backpack. “No.”
Ross kept his mouth shut.
“Are you sure there’s no one who can vouch for you?”
“Well. Umm, I—I stayed with a friend that night. And made the rest of the drive to Aunt Ruth’s house the next morning.”
Her voice cracked, catching Ross’ attention. For as long as he could remember she’d always struggled to keep her voice even when she tried to lie. The night in question, his team had pictures of her—alone—checking in to a rundown motel off Interstate 95.
“Write down the friend’s name and phone number so Sheriff Cochran can confirm it,” Ross said by way of a distraction. He’d ask her about the lie as soon as he got her out of here. By now the jerks following them knew they’d been conned by the cell phone trick and their short advantage was ticking away.
The extra key to the car Rick was dropping off was burning a hole in Ross’s pocket. Every instinct he had was screaming they were out of time, they needed to move. Now.
“You’ve known her since she was a kid, Sheriff,” Ross interjected. “Let her go.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“No. It’s worse than that.” He pitched his voice a bit shy of bored, despite the knot in his gut. “She’s been shot at, attacked, and tailed. She needs protection, not more interrogation. And she sure doesn’t need to get in a car for the next eight hours without an attorney present.”
Cochran leaned back again. “I can put her in the drunk tank by herself. She’ll be safe there.”
“And a sitting duck when you hand her over to whatever wolf in deputy uniform shows up to haul her away.”
Cochran had the grace to look embarrassed.
“She’s safer with me and we both know it.”
“I don’t know it,” Allie said, picking the worst possible moment to grow an opinion. “Sheriff Cochran, how is Ross related to your department?”
“He’s not precisely related to the department in any official capacity. But I trust him. He and his crew do work for the state from time to time.”
Ross managed not to fall over from the shock of being praised. He made a mental note to thank Cochran for the unexpected support. The man must be nearly as worried for Allie as Ross.